Turkey Real Estate

• About Us & Our Team
• Our Services
• About Kusadasi
• Around Kusadasi
• About Turkey
• Historical Places
• Legal Info
• Contact Us

TODAY

Wheather in Turkey

Apollon Temple

Didyma`s ancient ruins are 20 kilometres (32 miles) from Miletos, in the parish of Hisar, which is in the district of Didim, a part of the province of Aydin. Didyma, is not however an ancient city. It was a sacred place of worship. Didyma`s fame rests on the magnificant Temple of Apollo, a building of awesome scale whose proportions seem more in keeping with the gods than man. Building works in the name of Apollo were started in the eighth or seventh centuries BC. For a hundred years during the Archaic period the Temple was controlled by the Branchids, a powerful family of priests, and it was under their direction that the Temple rose to fame. In the 6th century BC, under the Branchids, in the first half of the Ionian period, the Temple at Didyma enjoyed golden age and was greatly expanded in size. But then came the Persians who attacked the area in 494 BC and destroyed the Temple. Alexander the Great helped in the rebuilding and the remains we see today are Hellenistic, dating from his times. In the temple`s reconstruction the original foundations were used but the size of the building was greatly increased. The decline of Didyma began in the third century BC. In the year 395 AD the Emperor Theodosius decreed that all soothsayers and their like were prohibited. This was a great blow to the Temple. Nature also played its part. In the second century BC, an earthquake struck destroying some of the Sacred Road and the area of worship to Artemis. Christianity was first introduced to Didyma in the fourth century AD. During the 5th and 6th centuries AD the Temple area was converted into a church. The final plan for the Temple was never fully accomplished. The whole area was devastated by another earthquake, that of the year 1493, and the site was abondoned. At the end on the 19th century new immigrants settled and gave their home the name "Yoran". From 1922 onwards it was settled by Greeks and Bulgarians. The small town they founded was called Yenihisar. Later this was changed to become the Didim today.
 

Artemis Temple

Measuring 125 (375 feet) by 60 (180 feet) meters, the Temple of Artemis is counted as one of the seven wonders of the world. The ancient author Pliny writes that the temple was destroyed and rebuilt seven times. The worship of Artemis is a continuation of the worship of the Anatolian mother goddess Kybele. The Lydian king Croesus donated columns carved with reliefs of the temple. One version of the temple was set on fire in 356 B.C. by a certain Herostratus, who wanted to make a name for himself in history.
 

Caravanserai

It is located in the center of town near the harbour. It is built by Grand-Vizier Okuz Mehmet Pasa in 1618. It was restored in 1966. It was an Ottoman castle built for overseas trade. Its courtyard is approximately 18.50 meters (56 feet) by 21.60 meters (65 feet), and is surrounded with a two-story "revak". At the north west, and south east corners there are two stairs used to go upstairs from the rear side. The entrance is at the north. The marble gate-fold which has 2.96 meter (9 feet) width is bonded with a low vault.

Ephesus

Ephesus, the most renowned of the ancient towns founded in the Ionian region in Western Anatolia, is located on the south of Izmir`s Selcuk County. It is considered as one of the most important centers not only in Western Anatolian civilization but also in the history of word civilization. The ruins of Ephesus take on a value and a special significance among the innumerable sites of an archaeological interest: this is due to its inestimable artistic patrimony, its enormous heritage of history and culture, and the inexhaustible beauty and charm of its archaeological site.

The original site of Ephesus was most likely established on the Aegean coast, on the shores of that sea which today is located eight kilometres (5 miles) away from the archaeological excavations. Over the centuries, in fact the rubble brought onto the plain of the Küçük Menderes has enlarged the alluvial plain surrounding the archaelogical zone, leaving behind in actual fact the shores of the Aegean.
The foundation of Ephesus took place between the 16th and 11th centuries B.C., and this assertion is confirmed in part by sebsequent archaeological findings. Certainly its founders were if Greek ancestry. In the mean time, the Ionic colonization in Asia Minor progressed rapidly, and very soon the new Ionic cities united in the Ionic Confederacy.

Visits of personalities such as Brutus, Cassius, and Cicero gave testimony to the importance which Ephesus held in the Roman world. During the Hellenistic, Pergammonian and Roman era the importance of the town was sustained. It was the Roman era in which the city grew to become an important commercial center. It was also one of the first five cities of the Roman Empire. In 17 AD a disastrous earthquake brought down the city. The city was re-built later in 123 AD by Tiberius and Hadrian.

During the Christian era Ephesus became a magnificent metropolis of the ancient world such as Alexandria and Antioch. The city was also one of the seven churches of Asia. John the Apostle, is buried (in the church named after him) is also located near Ephesus. Virgin Mary is also believed to have spent her life after the Crucifixion near Ephesus. Both of these events make Ephesus one of the most important landmarks in the history of Christianity.

Virgin Mary was verified as the God`s Mother by the council convened in the Mother of Mary Church in Ephesus in 453 AD.
The decline of the city began with the invasion of Goths in 262 AD by which the town was burnt down. Ephesus was never to reach its former splender again. Nevertheless in Justinian era (6th century A.D.), landmarks like the Basilica of St. John, was erected by the same Emperor. When Seljuks invaded the city in 1090 AD, Ephesus was far from its past glamour and prominence.
Ephesus which has been of great archaeological value has been first excavated in 1869 by an Englishman. Today excavations are continued by the Austrians and the Turks.

Celsus Library

This library was built between 117 and 120 AD for Julius Celcus Polemaneanus by his son as monumantal tomb. It was revealed by excavations in 1904 and restored between 1970 and 1978. It`s facade was two-storeyed, and the interior consisted of a single and large hall. The statues in the niches of the facade symbolised the virtues of Celcus : wisdom (sophia), knowledge (episteme), destiny (ennoia) and virtue (arete).

The Theatre


The theatre was first built in the Hellenistic period (3rdury BC) during the reign of Lysimachos on the slope of Mount Pion, and was later enlarged. The theatre, in which wild animal fights and gladiator games were held in the 3rd and 4th centuries, is the largest theatre structure in Turkey and has a capacity of 24,000 spectators. The stage-building had three storeys including the ground floor. Only the ground floor has reached to the present and is well preserved. The secrion where the audience sat had a height of 38 meters (114 feet) and a diameter of 158 meters (474 feet).


The Temple Of Hadrian

It was built in the 2nd century AD, which was dedicated to Emperor Hadrian. In the front, two columns with Corinthian capitals and two piers also with Corinthian capitals supported a semi-circular pediment at the sides.

Marble Street

The street which runs between the Celcus Library and the Grand Theatre is called Marble Street. It was paved with blocks of marble in the 5th century and had heering-bone slopes and has reached to the presentin a well-preserved condition.

The Houses On The Slope

These houses are also known to have been the houses of rich persons. The houses are very plain from the outside but they had very decorative interiors. They are generally two-storeyed and the second floors were reserved for the bedrooms. The houses were built in the Augustus period and used until the 7th century AD. The houses were restored and can be visited.



The State Agora

It is assumed that the agora was built in the 1st century BC and took its last shape in the period of Augustus. The remains in the middle of the agora are the foundations of the temple of Isis. The group of statues called Polyphemus formed the pediment of the temple, and are now exhibited in the Museum of Ephesus. The state agora was used together with the buildings surrounding it as Ephesus`s centre of administration.

Church of the Most Holly Virgin

The church (also known as the Council Church) is famed as the first church built for the Virgin Mary in Asia. The Ecumenical Council of 431 AD was held in this church where Virgin Mary was announced as the God`s mother. During Justanian reign the church was altered and on the exact site a smaller but domed church was built.

The Fountain of Trajan

The fountain, named after the Emperor Trajan, located on the right side of Curetes Street was built in the second century AD. A full size statue of the Emperor stood in the middle of the fountain. Two statues of Dionysos of the imoerial family found during the excavations, are on display in the museum of Ephesus.

Curetes Street

The street stretches between Celcius Library and the Gate of Heracles which opens to Domitian Square. On both sides of the street stood statues of prominent persons which some of still standing in good condition. The paving and the columns on the sides of the street were last repaired in the 4th century AD.

The Gate of Heracles

Gate located at the beginning of Curetes Street was constructed with 2 tiers of columns, was named after 2 reliefs which showed Heracles draped in a lion skin.

The Basilica of St. John

The Church was founded in honor of St John who came to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary. On the side of the basilica constructed in the 4th century, the present church was built during the reign of Emperor Justinian. Walls were built arround the church for protection against the Arab raids in the 7th century.

The Prytaneion

The Prytanion, built in the 3rd century BC, during the rule of Lysimacpos, is located down the slopes of the hills,up from the Basilica. It is comparable to todays town hall and has witnessed important events and gatherings of it`s time.

1) Vedius Gymnasium
2) Stadium
3) The Church of Virgin Mary
4-5) Harbour Gymnasium and Baths
6) Theatre Gymnasium
7) Arcadiane
8) Theatre
9) The Temple of Serapis
10) Commercial Agora
11) The Library of Celsus
12) The Streets of Curetes
13) Scolastica Baths
14) Houses on the Hill Side
15) The Temple of Hadrian
16) The Fountain of Trajan
17) Hyderium (Fountain)
18) The Temple of Domitian
19) State Agora
20) Prytaneion
21) Odeon
22) East Gymnasium
23) Basilica of St. John
24) Ephesus Museum
25) The Temple of Artemis
26) Isabey Mosque
27) Seven Sleeper`s Cave

Hierapolis

The ancient city of Hierapolis near Pamukkale Denizli was founded in 190 B.C. by Eumenes II, king of Pergamon. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, it reached the height of its development as a Roman thermal bath center. The city owes its name to the wife of Telephos, legendary founder of Pergamum. According to other sources the city owes the name "Hiera" (which is believed to have meant sacred city) because of religious events which took place there. An inscription which was the text of an edit about the city which Eumenes had dictated in honour of his mother has an interesting tale to tell. The city founded around a subterranean cavern qualified plutonian which was a religious center developed, beginning from the Hellenistic age and became an important place.
 

House of Virgin Mary

The house is situated at the peak of Bulbul Mountain, 9 kilometers (15 miles) from Selcuk. According to legend, St. John came to Ephesus with Virgin Mary four or six years after the crucifixtion of Jesus. Following the visions of a German nun, Catherine Emmerich, a group of Lazarist priests discovered a house, which is believed to be the place where Virgin Mary spent her last days in 1891. This discovery attaracted the attention of the entire Christian world. The cruciform building topped with a dome was restored in modern times. The house received visits from Pope Paul VI in 1967 and Pope John Paul II in 1979.

Miletos

The area between the Gulf of Izmir to the north, and the Gulf of Akuk to the south including the islands of Chios, (Sakiz) and Samos (Sisam) is the Iona of the ancient world. Here is the city of Miletos, with the peak of Mykale (Samson) to its north and the Latmos (Beþparmak) Mountains to its east. Herodotus referred to Miletos as the jewel of the Ionian cities. In modern terms, Miletos lies within the Province of Aydin, 93 kilometres (150 miles) from Aydin itself, 38 kilometres (61 miles) from the town of Söke.


The exact origin of the name "Iona " is uncertain. The Old Testament of the Bible refers to "Yavan", ancient Persian writings have "Yauna", and the Assyrians speak of "Yavani" All are possibilities. As to the etymological originof the name "Miletos", in the Hittite texts the names "Milawanda", "Milawanda" and "Milada" are accepted as being connected. But the Island of Crete has a town called "Milatos" which could lead to another train of thought.


In the age of antiquity the city of Miletos was by the sea, situated on the south side of the Gulf of Latmos where Gulf opens out into the Aegean. Over a period of time the Maiandros River silted up the Gulf from the north - west side, creating a flat plain and an inland lake that is known today as Bafa Lake. The Island of Lade where the famous naval battle was fought, off the coast to the south of Miletos, is now just a hill a few kilometres walk from the city. As the southern boundary of the city area isa peninsula named after the god Poseidon. It is here that Neleus, the legendary founder of the city, gave thanks to the gods for his victory. Today only a few remains can be found to bear witness to this once sacred place where now a lighthouse stands. "Miletos" appears as a character in mythology, a son of the god Apollo himself. The story goes as follows. Apollo fell in love with Akakallis, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. Their union resukted in the birth of three children, Miletos, Garamos, and Amphimenis. Akakallis feared that her father , the King, might harm her first born, Miletos and so, for safety, took him up a mountain and left him there. Wolves tended the baby, and later he grew up among the shepherds. In manhood Miletos came to Anatolia and married Kyane, the daughter of Maiandros, the river-god. He founded the city that bears his name. Miletos and Kyane had two sons, Kaunos and Byblis, both of whom also went on to found cities. But as mentioned, according to tradition, Neleus leader of the Ionians and the son of King Kodros of Athens, is the person who is credited with the founding of the city of Miletos. It si quite possible that the Greeks indeed did settle in the area as far back as 11th or 10th centuries BC, but we also know that there were already native people living there who probably came from Caria. These people are said to have come to the aid of the Trojans and their sense of territory and belonging is made plain in the quotation from the Iliad. "Nastes, leading the Carian assault and speaking harshly, stated that they, the Carians lived in Miletos, on the banks of the Maiandros, at the foot of the high peak of Mykale". According to Herodotus, the invading Ionians slew all the male inhabitants of Mi;etos and then married the widows. These women, (not surprisingly!), it was said, did not talk to their husbands, would not eat at the same table and did not want to stay with them. Apparently this state of affairs continued for a long time. From finds of stone hand axes and other artefacts on nearby Killik Tepe we understand that there were settlements in Miletos in the Neolithic Age. An important Mycenaean colony existed in Miletos from the middle of the second millennium BC, as confirmed by excavation which has brought to light ceramic and architectural material. The earliest construction of a settlement took place on Kalabak Tepe and today evidence of this can be seen on the south-west side of the hill. In the 7th and 6th centuries BC, Miletos reached its golden age. From about 650 BC the city`s sea trading prospered, especially, and colonies were founded on both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean which created a period of great wealth. According to Pliny, a total of 90 colonies were founded.

These included Kyzos on the Sea of Marmara, Sinope, Olbia, Amisos, and Trapezios on the Black Sea, and Naukratis in Egypt. Miletos had become the metropolis of the Ionian world.
At the end of the 5th century BC Athens adopted the Milesian alphabet as the standard writing system. Milesian trade prospered accordingly. During the 6th century, the city`s woollen goods in particular were in great demand because of their high quality. It is recorded that one Polycrates, an enterprising official from Samos, bought some of the famous Milesian sheep from the city to rear a pure strain of the breed and thus ensure the quality of the wool was maintained. Milesian woven goods and kilims acquired the status of luxury items and throughout the 4th and 3rd centuries BC were greatly sought after. The ceramic ware produced in Miletos was not only found along coast of Ionia but was also used in the colonies of the Black Sea and Egypt. Dyes, metal and wheat were exported in addition to the wool and ceramics. As explained in the Antique Period, Miletos was on the coast, and was a port. It had four different inlets that formed natural harbours. Three of these inlets were to the south of the Theatre, one of them being the Athena Harbour. On the other side of the Theatre lay the celebrated Bay of Lions, Miletos` fourth harbour. It was from these harbours that the export trade was conducted. In 546 BC Miletos and Sardis both fell under the Persian hand. In 500 BC Aristogoras, the Tyrant of Miletos, urged his people to rebel against Persian rule. The desire for rebellion spread to neighbouring areas. However, not all the Ionian cities were in favour of the cause, with the result that there was neither consensus nor organization. But the movement continued. Defiantly, the rebels marched to Sardis and set fire to an area of the city behind the Acropolis. The Persians reacted strongly. The result was the Battle of Lade . This took place in 494 BC. The Ionian fleet lined up against the Persian fleet near the Island of Lade. The Ionians had eighty warships from Miletos. 12 from Priene, e from Myus, 17 from Teos, 100 from Chios, 8 from Erythrai, 70 from Lesbos, 3 from Phokaia, and 60 from Samos. The Persian fleet numbered 600 and all the ships were their own. A great deal of scheming and intrigue took place but the final outcome of the ensuing battle was the burning of the entire Ionian fleet by the Persians. And after that, Miletos and Didyma were raised to the ground. The people of Miletos fled to the shores of Dicle where many Milesians were captured and taken in exile to Ampe on the Tigris estuary. When the liberating army of Alexander the Great finally reached Miletos in 334 BC, it was immediately obvious to the King that no rebuilding had taken place in the city. Fortunately, the friendly relationship that the people of Miletos always enjoyed with Alexander was easily resumed. Help was at hand. The Hellenistic period continued with the reign of Kings Ptolemais, Seleukos, and Bergama until 133 BC when Miletos came under the governorship of Rome. During the Byzantine Period which followed, Miletos lost its position of importance. The Malazgirit War of 1071 opened the way to marauding Turks and within ten years the Turks had reached the shore of the Aegean and Caria fell under their hand. From 1261 it was the turn of the Menteþ Lords. Little, in fact , is known of this period in the history of Miletos though the city was held the Mentes Dynasty for a long time. However, Orhan, one of the ruling members of the family franked his name on metal coins together with the name "Palatia" by which Miletos was then known.
During this period the harbour again bustled and became of importance in Anatolia as the center of export trade with the Venetians and the Genovese.

Priene

Like Miletos, Priene was one of the twelve cities of the Pan-Ionian League and also like Miletos, its geography changed over the years. The ancient city (population 5,000) was situated just at the point where the where the Maiandros River ran onto the Aegean. Mykale (Samson), on the slopes of the mountain to the south would have been the other point of reference. Now we would say that Priene is in the province of Aydin, 15 kilometres (24 miles) from the district capital Söke, and near the village of Gullubahce. The name "Priene" comes from the ancient Luwi tongue and is a combination of the words "pura" or "pira" and "wana" or "ana" which define the early settlement as "a fortified habitation". In his work "Geography", Strabon recounts the founding of Priene, naming Aipytos, the son of Neleus. He also speaks of Philotos and his small band of settlers who later came from Thebes. The first city was probably a peninsula with two harbours but there is little factual knowledge of these early days. In 495 BC the citizens of Priene participated in the Battle Lade with their contribution of 12 warships. The result was that their city was also raised to the ground by the Persians. In 359 BC Priene was rebuilt on its present site which in those days was nearer the sea. It had a port called Naulochos. Help for the task for rebuilding the city was provided by Athens thought Priene was never to the forefront of the political life of the times. Bias, considered to be one of world`s seven most important philosophers, traditionally thought to have lived in Priene at around 600 BC. Plutarch tells the story of how the King of Egypt consulted the great thinker as to which evil should be removed from an unhappy man in order that he should be cured of his misery. "His tongue," was the reply. Bias was aslo famous as a judge. Priene is best known for being the oldest and finest example of the Hippodamian system of town planning which was based on a grid system with streets intersecting at right angles. The original plan is still clear today. Priene was a city of which to be proud, as was known as "The Pompei of Anatolia". In the Hellenistic Period Priene was governed from Athens and later came under the rule of the Kings of Bergama before the time of the Roman Period and administration from Prome which began in the 2nd century AD. The Bishop`s Church which is near the Theatre is evidence that the city continued to develop into the Byzantine Period. During the Roman period the Maiandros River began to silt up its estuary and gradually Priene found itself in the middle of a swamp which proved a perfect breeding ground for mosquitos. Malaria struck in epidemic proportions and people moved elsewhere to try to escape the disease. By around 1400 the city had been completely abandoned.